Don’t scrap it, cleanse it instead

With the IPL going through a state of turmoil, fans and followers around the world have been left enraged. For no fault of theirs, they have a feeling of being let down and made to look foolish. They have every reason to feel aggrieved. There are calls for the IPL to be cancelled altogether, which according to me is not a rational decision.

Listen to what Rahul Dravid had to say, shortly after his team was eliminated from this year’s edition.

We have all known Rahul Dravid to be the ultimate diplomat. Even in his commentary, he finds it hard to criticise any player with ease. In the post-match interview mentioned above, Rahul talks about how good the IPL has been and the positive attributes it has. On the flip side of it, he refused to use the word “Negatives” and chose to say, “The IPL does have its CHALLENGES as well”, which is truly remarkable.

Did he feel that his side’s chances were affected by the ill-timed participation of three of his players in the spot-fixing scandal? He would have. For the simple reason, had they won one more game during the league stage, they stood a very good chance of finishing in the top two - which would have given them an opportunity to lose a game in the play-offs. But did he mention that? - He never did.

He goes onto explain how Cricket as a game has to survive these hard times. 

When Hansie Cronje was convicted of throwing away matches for money, the game suffered, but didn’t cease to exist. Had One day Cricket been stopped altogether, Indian Cricket would have never experienced the Joy of the World Cup (T20 aside), almost a dozen years afterwards. Didn’t Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Amir indulge in spot fixing in a Test Match, that too at "The Mecca of Cricket"? Have we stopped watching the traditional format of the game, which still many of us believe is the real deal? 

At one point in the speech he says, “Let’s get to the bottom of the truth, however painful it may be”. Classy, just like his batting. 

The time is ripe for the officials to eradicate the weeds, not to dump it down altogether. Every edition has had its challenges, but the tournament has come through each one of those. It won’t be too different this time around. 

The IPL is here to stay. Keep the faith and stay behind it! At least, Rahul Dravid will be delighted if it happens!